Leaders of the BRICS bloc have issued a strong rebuke to U.S. President Donald Trump over his trade policies and military actions, warning that such moves threaten global economic stability and peace.

Meeting in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, the expanded BRICS group — comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and six other countries including Iran — voiced deep concern over “unilateral tariff measures” that they said could derail international trade and growth. While the joint statement did not name Trump directly, it was widely understood to be aimed at his recent policies.

The 11-member alliance, which now accounts for nearly half of the world’s population and about 40% of global GDP, also condemned recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory. The strikes, which targeted nuclear and strategic sites, have drawn growing international scrutiny.

In a sharp response on his Truth Social platform, President Trump warned that any country aligning with what he called “anti-American BRICS policies” would face an additional 10% tariff, without exception.

Iran, which joined BRICS in 2023, welcomed the bloc’s solidarity but voiced some reservations over the language of the statement. A Tehran diplomat said the support was “encouraging,” but stressed the need for more decisive action.

The summit also called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and demanded Israel’s full withdrawal, as the conflict with Hamas stretches into its 21st month. Hamas praised the BRICS declaration and urged the bloc to help end what it described as the “criminal siege” of Gaza.

Despite the unified statement, cracks in BRICS solidarity were visible. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister was absent from the meeting, and China’s President Xi Jinping skipped the summit for the first time in over a decade. Russian President Vladimir Putin, facing an international arrest warrant over the war in Ukraine, participated via video link.

In his address, Putin hailed BRICS as a growing force in global politics and urged stronger international rules on artificial intelligence. The bloc echoed the call, emphasizing that AI governance must not be dominated by wealthy nations alone.

The summit comes as Trump’s trade and foreign policies face growing criticism on the global stage, with the BRICS group positioning itself as a counterweight to Western influence.